1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a viscoidal fluid (e.g., lubricant) removing arrangement for an engine, and more particularly to a viscoidal fluid removing arrangement that removes fluid adhered to an auxiliary device or rotating component of an engine.
2. Description of Related Art
Relatively small watercrafts such as, for example, personal watercrafts have become very popular in recent years. This type of watercraft is quite sporting in nature and carries one or more riders. A hull of the watercraft typically defines a rider's area above an engine compartment. An internal combustion engine powers a jet pump assembly that propels the watercraft by discharging water rearwardly. The engine lies within the engine compartment in front of a tunnel, which is formed on an underside of the hull. A principal portion of the jet pump assembly is placed within the tunnel and includes an impeller that is driven by the engine to propel the watercraft.
The engine can incorporate a flywheel assembly at one end of a crankshaft to stabilize rotation of a crankshaft of the engine. Typically, the flywheel assembly for the personal watercraft forms a flywheel magneto that generates electric power used for engine operation and for other purposes. In one arrangement, the flywheel assembly is disposed in a space defined in front of a crankcase chamber of the engine. A cover member, together with a body of the engine, completes the space. The space normally communicates with the crankcase chamber through one or more openings.
Typically, the crankshaft is lubricated by oil lubricant and part of the oil can move into the space through the openings as either liquid oil or oil mist. In addition, blow-by gases that have passed from the combustion chamber to the crankcase chamber also accumulate within the crankcase chamber and can move into the space through the openings with the oil mist. The lubricant oil and oil mist are useful for lubricating and cooling the flywheel assembly. However, the lubricant oil, the oil mist and the blow-by gases can adhere to the flywheel assembly as viscoidal fluid and can create rotational resistance that inhibits the flywheel assembly from rotating smoothly.